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October 12, 2011

Interview with Asahi Shimbun

I gave an interview last Monday to Mr. Nao Aoyama of the Asahi Shimbun for a feature article about stationery in a forthcoming Sunday edition of the Japanese newspaper.

I was quite flattered to have Mr. Aoyama make a side trip to Chicago just to see me. He was on his way to South Carolina later that day for another visit, still related to the article. Then he flies on to Europe to finish the assignment.

Nao cited the resurgence of interest on stationery, journals and notebooks in Japan, especially "hacks" which there are magazines dedicated entirely to modifications. Our conversation, which lasted well into the afternoon, dealt mostly with Moleskinerie, the blog I started, and why notebooks are so popular despite the digital options available. We concluded with a discussion on the future of paper, writing and creativity in general.

The article, unfortunately will only be in Japanese but I hope somebody can translate it for us when it comes out next month.

I left that interview with a renewed sense of mission, that maybe, Notebookism is still worth reviving after all.

どうもありがとうございます Thanks again, Nao for dropping by and for everyone who left messages of support or simply to say hi through my absence. Things have been pretty rough but we shall overcome.

Paper will always be aroumd, even if notebook enthusiasts are a niche market. Notebookism and Moleskinerie lack continually posted interesting content and user interaction... with these things, they could sure come back. They used to be popular and fun for great reasons and users looked forward to seeing amother cool postnevery day.